Fried Pork Belly
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Of the many delicious cuts from our good friend, the pig, perhaps none are as famous as bacon. The belly of the pig is cured, smoked, then usually served alongside some eggs or in between two pieces of bread with lettuce and tomato. As yummy as bacon is, when you skip the steps of curing and smoking you’re left with a different treat all its own.
You probably remember the pork belly craze in restaurants several years ago. You couldn’t eat out or watch anything on the food network without seeing at least one little piece of pork belly. The reason is pretty simple: it’s delicious and versatile.
There aren’t many forms and techniques of cooking that pork belly doesn’t go perfectly. When one says deep-fried pork belly, anyone in the south naturally thinks of cracklins which are exactly that: deep-fried belly. And although this recipe is very similar, it changes just enough to keep things interesting. Considering pork belly is at the top of my own personal food pyramid (probably should get my cholesterol checked), there will most likely be both a cracklin and additional pork belly posts in the future. Enjoy!
Ingredients and Instructions
- 1 pound pork belly – skin removed and cut into 1″ cubes
- 2 cups vegetable oil (for cooking)
Brine
- 2 cups water
- ¼ cup salt
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
Add all brine ingredients to a pot. Bring to boil and mix well so all ingredients are dissolved. Let brine cool to room temperature then put in the fridge to chill for about 30 minutes. (This is an important step. Hot brine can mean dangerous temps which can mean food spoilage.) Add a handful of ice and stir. Add the pork belly to brine and refrigerate overnight.
Rub
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon thyme
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
Mix all rub ingredients together in a bowl. Remove pork from brine and dry very well. Add rub to pork and coat well. Ensure all pork is covered. Let sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes. Heat vegetable oil in large pot until it gets to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Add pork one little handful at a time. (Overcrowding the pot leads to improper browning.) Cook until brown and crispy on all sides (about 5 minutes).
Glaze
- 4 tablespoons Steen’s Cane Syrup
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons butter
Add all glaze ingredients to saucepan and simmer for about two minutes until slightly reduced and thickened. Put fried pork into large bowl. Add glaze and toss to combine. Serve hot.